Why I Am Buying the Verizon Galaxy Nexus

Since August, I have been faced with a dilemma, a dilemma that many of you out there are probably facing at this very moment. The issue of course is the whole, “What smartphone should I buy?” debate that has been waging in my head for months now.

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The hard part for me is that I want a new phone, but don’t necessarily need one.

As many of you know, I have an iPhone 3GS and am currently off contract. Problem is, for the most part, Apple’s iOS 5 update has worked like a dream on my aging phone. In fact, it has worked so well, that it stopped me from running out and getting the iPhone 4S when many of those around me fell victim.

The webOS smartphone I can’t buy. The BlackBerry 7 devices that you couldn’t pay me to own. The Windows Phones with intriguing software but obsolete hardware.

Time and time again, I looked at these phones and debated my decision with my co-workers. With my friends. Even with my technologically inept parents. And time and time again, I kept coming back to two phones that weren’t any of those.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon. The device with 5,000 release dates.

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And the iPhone 5. A device that may or may not be 5,000 different things.

One of them, the Galaxy Nexus, comes out tomorrow on Verizon for $300 with a new two-year contract. The other is assumed to be coming out wither in the summer of 2012 or in the fall.

Nobody seems to know.

The Galaxy Nexus has 4G LTE.

The iPhone 5 might have 4G LTE.

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The Galaxy Nexus has Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, an operating system that appears to be the best mobile software that Google has ever released.

The iPhone 5 will probably run iOS 6, an operating system that will probably be the best mobile software that Apple has ever released

It’s a tough choice to say the least.

But after a lot of thought, a lot of debate, a lot of lifting logs and punching animal carcasses – oh wait, that was Rocky, I have finally reached my decision.

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I am buying the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Tomorrow, I plan to waltz into a Verizon store and plop down a wad of cash for a Galaxy Nexus from Verizon.

I’ve already explained to you why the Galaxy Nexus is the phone that I, and hopefully you, have been waiting for. But let’s recap, very quickly.

Android 4.0 – Right Out of the Box: I don’t want to wait for Android 4.0 to arrive on my phone. I want it now. The only phone that affords me this is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Fast Updates: The Galaxy Nexus is a Nexus device. That means that it will likely be the first to see major Android updates from Google. Like I said, this might not sound like much, but go talk to an HTC ThunderBolt owner about the wait for Android 2.3 Gingerbread and you’ll see where I am coming from.

Limitless Customization: Again, this is a Nexus device and that means that it’s also a developer-friendly device. I’ll be able to root and unlock the bootloader without any sort of hassle and that means I’ll be able to customize the device to my liking. Not every Android phone is afforded this. Talk to Droid RAZR owners who have a locked bootloader.

Great Hardware: I need hardware that is going to last me. The Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED Plus HD (720p) Display with Curved Glass. It has a TI OMAP 4460 dual-core Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. It has 5MP rear camera w/ 1080p video capture. It has 32GB of storage space. It has NFC. Translation: this is a phone that is going to last me for the next two years no problem.

4G LTE: And finally, the Galaxy Nexus has 4G LTE data speeds, speeds that are 10 times faster than those of 3G. 4G LTE is the future and I think it’s almost a requirement for things like Netflix and Hulu. I can’t stand using either of those on my iPhone.

All of that, in my opinion, separates it from the other Android phones, Windows Phones, BlackBerry phones, and the iPhone 4S.

But, what about the iPhone 5?

Like many of you, I am tired of the waiting game.

If only this had LTE.

Had Apple released an LTE iPhone in September, you better believe I would have scooped that bad boy up, no questions asked.

But it didn’t and to be honest, I just can’t see myself using the iPhone 3GS for another 7 or 8 months, even with iOS 5 running as smooth as it is.

So, yes, I will be picking up a Galaxy Nexus on Verizon tomorrow but I think I will probably get it without a contract.

Hey, I have to keep my options open, right?

26 Responses

I just got back from my local VZW store where I reserved one for tomorrow as they told me demand is very high for this phone so I didn’t want to get there and find out they were out of stock tomorrow. I’ll be playing with the Nexus simulator tonight in preparation. WINNING!!!!

It just better, I am waiting galaxy note though, I am so over flicking AT&T 3G net work on my iphone4 300kbps down in streets of NYC and it is all the time. I checked in a t-mobile store today played GSII 4g speed I don’t need to say, just go and test yourself instead defending yourstupid3.5 screen, I really mean it

:) Thanks. I am trying to be platform agnostic here, but right now Android is pulling me in. As soon as Verizon drops a “Good” Windows Phone 7 handset, I will buy one off contract to have the following Verizon phones I can go back and forth from: iPhone 4, Galaxy Nexus, and whatever Windows Phone is worthy.

regarding SIM cards, I’m new to them….does the microsimm mean if I wanted to switch devices I don’t need to activate, I just need the device and the Simm? I don’t think I’d even do this but interested to know how it works.